When I was a kid my favourite show was the X-Files (can’t wait for the reboot!) and I still remember the most terrifying episode, appropriately called Home, about the inbred mutant freaks that murdered townsfolk. Seriously, this episode was so scary, reruns have actually been banned from the network. This was the first time I ever remember actually being genuinely petrified and subsequently convinced myself that I would be murdered to the strains of Johnny Mathis’ song from the episode. Since then, I have not really been a huge fan of being scared, but I LOVE Halloween. The most frightening thing for most Canadian kids is picking a costume you can wear over your jacket or snowsuit and or flashing people to show them what you’re dressed as, but that never diminished my love of trick or treating. Another Halloween-must includes watching Hocus Pocus because that movie is gold. If you don’t love Bette Midler belting out ‘I Put a Spell on You’ then I feel sad for you. So now, since I’m old and don’t need my amazing McDonald’s pumpkin pails (we had them all!) and can’t run around the neighbour’s yard collecting candy, I am stuck getting my Halloween jollies from mobile games and apps. Let the spookiness commence!
Scary Draw App (iOS)
My first clue that this app was pretty lame should have been the lack of reviews and feedback on the iTunes store. There was nothing scary about this app, and it certainly is not for all ages. Anyone over the age of 5 would probably not find any excitement or value in the app. I couldn’t draw a straight line so I’m removing my lack of artistic abilities from the equation, but it was still meh. The functionality wasn’t great, the UI wasn’t easy to use or logical and on an iPhone my finger basically took up the whole screen. I didn’t care enough about the app to try it on my iPad. One particularly annoying feature in the app was that you had to watch a 5 second ad in order to delete your artwork. That was the stake through the heart of this app for me. The only things scary about this app were its dullness and my horrible drawings.
Little Fear Book App (iOS)
What a cool idea for a book! I loved the whole format and thought it was a really cool idea for a Halloween type app. Combining a book in a playful and creepy way was unexpected and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I loved that as you were reading, shapes would emerge from the page and scary noises would erupt at certain times. The book wasn’t too long, but it was written a little ‘old style’ so it added another level to the ghost story. Also, the sounds of children’s laughter in the dark is always alarming which was a nice touch. The graphics were good, there was no learning curve and the story was short. Great idea, cool format and interesting story. I’m excited to see the next version of this app.
Forest 2 iOS or Android
This game is every reason why I hate nature. The sounds of your feet on the ground, the stillness in the air, it was all too real but this time I was getting hunted by a ghost. It didn’t help that it was dark at home when I played this game and nearly screamed when the ghost girl appeared in front of me. I was too chicken to watch The Ring when it first came out and I certainly don’t regret that decision. The controls were pretty easy to learn, although one reviewer suggested removing one control and just using it like a joystick. I didn’t find too much difference so, to each his own. The graphics were really good and the overall feel was scary and ominous. I couldn’t tell you anything about the graphics on the girl because I was too busy looking away.
Bloody Mary Ghost Adventure (iOS)
I almost gave up on this game because it kept crashing when I opened it. Turns out the game was trying to save me from myself. When I finally got it working I was all set to finally hunt ghosts and find out which rooms were haunted. I randomly chose a room and when the door opened a ghost screamed and jumped out at me which was so freaky I ripped my headphones out and had to take a breather until my heart rate went back to normal. I may have found this game super scary because in elementary school people would turn off the lights and try to conjure Bloody Mary. To my knowledge she never appeared but it made me on high alert when I went into the bathroom. The game was really easy to figure out and there were a bunch of rooms to choose from as well as pieces to collect along the way. The graphics were good and the sound effects really added to the scary vibe. I loved this game and would recommend it for anyone!
Honorable Mentions
The Abandoned School (iOS)
Cool idea, interesting horror movie style that would work well if I was able to figure it all out. I make it past like one challenge and felt like a hero but couldn’t do anything else. Good graphics and sound effects but hopefully you’re smarter than I was.
iDrakula (iOS)
I’m not sure why there’s a ‘K’ used in the title so I’m going to make a leap and assume it’s somehow related to the Kardashians (seems fitting for a creature that sucks life from people). This game was supposed to include text, email and voicemail but since I was too cheap to buy the upgrades it was pretty much just some texts and emails. Really cool modern Halloween idea that would more exciting if I bought the upgrades.
Haunted Manor 2 – The Horror Behind the Mystery (iOS)
This game made me feel like a complete moron. I couldn’t solve any of the clues or puzzles even AFTER I looked up some cheats. I spent way too much time trying to solve some stupid puzzle that involved moving tiles around and the iron bar wouldn’t detach from the gate like it was supposed to. I completely failed at this and I hope you can do better.
Halloween is a glorious time of year so you need to take advantage of it by scaring yourself with mobile apps and games. After you play these games and you can thank me for this super classy “Ultimate Guide to Pairing Wine and Halloween Candy” which your friends can use to coax you off the ground when you’re curled in a terrified ball.
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